Following on from the paper 'Orofacial Viral Infections – an Update for Clinicians' by RG Nair et al in the July/August issue (Dent Update 2014; 41: 518–524), an interesting overview, for completeness it is important to point out that some of these infections can be more serious than mentioned and... Read more

Articles

The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has grown rapidly over recent years with an estimated 2.1 million people ‘vaping’ in the UK. E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices which simulate smoking. A heated element vaporizes chemicals, usually nicotine plus diluents like propylene glycol... Read more

Patients with clefts of the lip and/or palate require input from a diverse group of medical, surgical, dental and parasurgical specialties working as part of a multidisciplinary team in the UK. Co-ordinated care ensures that the patient receives optimal treatment whilst minimizing the burden of... Read more

Online social networking sites are a popular way to share interests, build and maintain relationships and stay more connected to the world. Tools that were not available a few years ago are now used on a daily basis. Social networking has been likened to a digital tattoo. Both Universities and... Read more

Localized gingival overgrowths (LGOs) encompass a category of oral lesions that are commonly encountered in dental practice. The authors report three cases of gingival epulides and also review the various conditions (both local and systemic) in which LGOs have been reported to occur. A flowchart is... Read more

lcium silicate materials have been recently introduced to dentistry and have found wide applications in endodontics because of their favourable biological properties. This review discusses materials that have become available commercially as well as those that are currently experimental. The... Read more

Precision attachments can be used in removable prosthodontics to improve the retention, stability and aesthetics of a prosthesis. Their use is not commonplace. However, when used appropriately, it is possible to construct a more satisfactory prosthesis where conventional partial dentures have... Read more

Periodontal pockets provide an ideal environment for the application of local drug delivery for the management of periodontitis. In this first article, consideration is given to the principles that underlie local drug delivery and the pharmacological challenges. It is essential that such systems... Read more

Effective pain control is a basic requirement for patients undergoing dental treatment, particularly under conscious sedation as patients are usually nervous. In order to achieve adequate pain management, clinicians must have an understanding of the physiology of pain, the various pain control... Read more

A 20-year-old female secretary attended for tooth whitening. Her medical history was clear. Her social history revealed a relatively normal diet with a lot of fruit juices but with no tobacco or alcohol consumption. Read more

Radiographs are generally viewed on a light-box. Proper viewing conditions are very important when interpreting a radiograph. The viewing conditions can enhance or degrade the subtle details of radiographs. Read more